Page 70 of With This Lie

Epilogue

Lucas

I rollover from my side of the bed and into Dani’s back side, tucking my arm around her waist and pulling her into me. She wiggles herself back into me and lets out a small moan. Of all the ways I had woken her up over the past twelve months, I found this to be the one she enjoyed the most. Or at least the one she responded to the most.

She lays her arm over mine and nuzzles into me as deeply as she can. I put my chin into her neck and breathe in her scent. She smells like she always does. Coconut and a hint of peony. Or at least that’s what she told me that flowery smell was.

“Good morning, babe,” I whisper into her ear.

“Good morning,” she murmurs, almost growling the way she does on the weekends before she has her coffee.

“It’s Sunday, whose turn is it to make breakfast?” I ask.

We’d fallen into the routine of taking turns making breakfast for each other on Sunday mornings while the other was in charge of music selection and general entertainment for the chef.

“It’s definitely your turn,” she says with a groan. She isn’t wrong.

“Do you want French toast or an omelet?” I ask.

“Definitely French toast.” She turns to face me.

French toast is her favorite so it isn’t exactly a competition. “With bacon?” I ask.

“When is ‘without bacon’ ever the right answer?” she asks.

“Good point,” I say. I lie there looking at her perfect face. Her eyes are closed and it’s this way that I find her most beautiful. First thing in the morning, with no makeup on, and no worry either.

“I can feel you staring at me, creep,” she says.

“Want me to stop?” I ask.

“Never,” she says.

I stare at her for a few minutes longer and then steal a kiss from her still lips. “One more question and then I’ll go fix that French toast,” I say.

“What?” she asks.

I reach under my pillow to retrieve the small box I had hidden there. She still has her eyes closed. I open the box and tap her gently on the shoulder.

She opens her eyes and they grow big and round and beautiful with a mix of excitement and fear like I imagined they would. “What are you doing?” she asks.

“Dani, we said we were going to see what this was, and I think we both know what it is now. It’s real, amazing, wonderful love. I can’t imagine my life any other way. I love you and I love us. Will you give me the extraordinary pleasure of marrying me?” I hold my breath. Something like this with Dani, even as solid as I think we are, is a risk.

She looks at me and then at the ring and back at me again. “You’re serious?” she asks, but not with doubt in her voice, or even fear.

“Deadly,” I say, smiling at her.

She looks at the ring again and a smile begins to spread across her lips. “I’ll marry you, Lucas,” she says.

I exhale finally, sighing in relief. I take the ring from the box and slide it onto her left ring finger.

She looks at it on her finger and then turns and kisses me. She puts her hand around my neck and runs her fingers through my hair.

Some things are meant to change and some things are meant to stay the same. This is a fact of life.

“Does it fit? I measured your ring finger while you were sleeping like a creep so I hope so,” I say.

“It’s perfect,” she says. “Can we do it in Vegas?”

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